Whanganui weather: Heavy rain watch in place for ‘weekend of two halves’

It will be a “weekend of two halves” with heavy rain expected in Whanganui on Saturday followed by a brighter Sunday.

A heavy rain watch is in place for parts of Taihape and northern Taranaki from midnight Saturday to midnight Sunday.

Coastal Whanganui can expect 20mm of rain on Saturday while areas further north could get 40-50mm.

“On Saturday we are going to find some wetter weather,” MetService meteorologist John Law said.

He said Sunday would be brighter and drier as “the wind swoops round to the south”.

“It’s a weekend of two halves.”

Whanganui can expect a top temperature of 15C on Saturday with westerlies building.

Law said there would be “a cooler and wetter start for next week” with southwesterly winds and rain expected.

Olivia Reid is a multimedia journalist based in Whanganui.